Rule change sharpens Dem investigations into Trump

[babylonsister]

Rule change sharpens Dem investigations into Trump
By Morgan Chalfant - 02/14/19 06:00 AM EST


A change to House rules is putting sharper teeth into Democratic investigations of President Trump and his administration.

The change allows staff of House committees to conduct depositions without any lawmakers present, freeing up the panels to move through witnesses in their investigations quickly without the constraints of the previous Congress.

The change will offer Democrats on powerful House committees including Intelligence, Oversight and Reform, and Judiciary substantial momentum as they open wide-ranging probes into Trump, producing new headaches for the White House as the president readies his reelection bid.

“It’s more teeth, faster legs, longer breath, greater strength and just bigger,” said Steven Cash, a former staffer and counsel to the Senate Intelligence Committee.

“The other thing it signals is this isn’t the political theater of the Benghazi hearings. They’re not really interested in what comes out on television. They want sworn testimony. That indicates to me they’re looking for facts and not show,” added Cash, who is now a lawyer at Day Pitney specializing in criminal and national security law.

more...

https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/429934-rule-change-sharpens-dem-investigations-into-trump

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Serious business deserves serious tools. This isn't no laughing matter, being that we had ...

serious attempts to interfere with our presidential elections (and perhaps other elections too?). Our votes deserve to be counted and also, not to be changed artificially or ignored. It's the American way (versus what Paul Ryan wants).

[Pepsidog]

4. Investigate the creeps then vote them into extinction.

[PJMcK]

2. The difference between Democrats and Republicans

Democrats govern and function as the oversight of our government. They have ideas to help our people and businesses.

Republicans strive for power and money and have no interest in governing. Their continued callousness demonstrates over and over that they put businesses and personal wealth over the security of our nation's citizens. After two years of "unified" government, Republicans accomplished less than nearly every other previous Congress/Senate in U.S. history. Those things they did succeed with will only hurt the majority of Republican voters.

This quote from the article sums it up succinctly:

The other thing it signals is (Democratic oversight) isn’t the political theater of the Benghazi hearings. They’re not really interested in what comes out on television. They want sworn testimony. That indicates to me they’re looking for facts and not show.

The Democrats in Congress and around the country have the next year or so to show the American people the depth of corruption the Republicans have brought to our nation. With Speaker Pelosi and her associates in charge of the House, I think we have a real chance of staunching the purposeful and traitorous diminishment of our country.

[Wounded Bear]

6. Democrats govern, Repubs rule...

Been true for a while now. There is very little interest in real democracy left in the Repub party.

[watoos]

3. Wow, and Republicans are ok with this?

If this is legal, great, go for it.

[Wounded Bear]

7. They don't have a choice...

Majority rules in the House. Repubs have exploited this since 2010. Dems turn.

[dlk]

5. House Democrats are Serious About Doing Their Constitutionally-Mandated Jobs

They have a mountain of criminality to investigate and uncover. This rule change makes sense and shows they mean business

[gademocrat7]

8. The Democrats put country above party.

The rethugs have done the opposite. They only care about enriching themselves and the country be damned.

[dalton99a]

9. Republicans have done nothing but use their power to protect the crime family.